Just me and you
by sookieandsamfan
Summary: Katniss finally comes to grips with her feelings for Peeta the night before the Quarter Quell.


*I recently rewatched Catching Fire before watching Mockingjay in theatres. I think they did a great job even with the scenes they cut or combined. There is one scene I really loved where Katniss and Peeta are lying in bed together the morning the games begin. This is a slight twist (mine is set the night before) and my take on what could have happened. I've written about the night before the Quell before, so sorry it this is repetitive for my loyal readers, but I was inspired to do this story after seeing the CF movie. Hope you enjoy. I own nothing. Rated M for adult content. A few movie spoilers, but nothing earthshattering if you've read the books.

I felt it when Peeta offered to give District 11 money.

I felt it again when he was so angry at the President's party when people were throwing up food to eat more when people in 12 were starving.

I felt it when he volunteered for Haymitch with the goal to save me even though I wish he were safe from these games.

I've felt it over and over again since we've been back together in the Capital preparing for these games.

I feel it every time he holds me at night to help keep the nightmares at bay.

I can officially no longer deny my feelings after seeing his chosen skill earlier tonight—that picture he painted of Rue to hold the Gamemakers accountable for killing such a precious soul.

Peeta just might be the kindest, most sincere, most thoughtful person on the planet and facts are facts—I no longer have to pretend to be in love with him. I've fallen for him for real. Only now it's too late. Why couldn't I have pulled this off back when Snow needed convincing? Would it have even made a difference? Probably not. The cold, hard truth now is that one or both of us will die in the arena.

We said our emotional goodbyes to Effie and Haymitch before going to bed. We won't see them in the morning. We'll go straight with our stylists to get ready and then it's on the games. Effie encouraged us to sleep if we could, but we can't.

Peeta and I climb into bed together. His warmth is all that's keeping me sane right now. Peeta lies on his back, and I'm snuggled up against him resting my head on his shoulder, our arms around each other. I have a few things I need to tell him or perhaps show him right now – before it's really too late.

I rise up on my elbow so I can look down into his face. "I only want it to be me and you in there," I say. "Nobody else. We are all that matters." Haymitch has insisted we make allies, but when it comes down to it, I think our partnership will be enough. I still don't feel like I can trust any of those other tributes. Peeta looks at me kindly as if he's not at all surprised to hear me say that. "Okay," he says reaching up to brush a piece of hair that's fallen in my face behind my ear. "If that's what you want, then that's what we'll do." "That's what I want," I reply. And, it's not all I want.

I look down at him silently—this tenderhearted boy who always thinks of me first. It makes my stomach ache with longing. I gently lean down and kiss him. It's a fairly chaste, thank you kiss, and when I pull back and look into his eyes his smile suggests he knows that. But a thank you kiss is not enough for me tonight. I put my lips back on his hungry for more. He kisses me back for a few moments but breaks the kiss when things start to intensify. "Katniss?" he says breathless with a question in is voice. I understand his confusion. It's the first time we've ever kissed when a camera isn't rolling, and the feeling behind it is clear. This kiss is different. This kiss is real. This kiss is leading to something more. He knows I'm not good at saying something – as I've told him before. I put my finger to his lips to silence him and muster all the strength and bravery I have to say three simple sentences. "Peeta, I want you. I need you. I love you."

He stares up at me wide-eyed clearly in shock for a few seconds, and I'm hoping he doesn't need more of an explanation right now. Surely he has been able to sense the transition in how I feel about him. It took all I had to say what I just did. He blinks a few times registering what I've said, and he doesn't say a thing. He simply reaches up, puts his hand behind my neck and pulls my lips back down to his accepting and agreeing with what I've just admitted.

Our kisses are immediately desperate and amazing. Kisses of two people who are fully aware that they could both be dead in less than 24 hours. I shift to climb on top of him. We kiss like that for a while and then he sits up so we are in an upright position. We continue making out, our hands everywhere. I tug at the hem of the t-shirt he sleeps in until he slips it off. I trace my hands up and down his muscular arms, chest, and back. He's strong from training. I take my own shirt off as well. For a moment Peeta just stares at me. Then finally he says, "beautiful," and gently takes one of my breasts in his hands. I moan. It feels so amazing. We shift again until now I'm on my back, and Peeta is lying on top of me. Our lips and hands are everywhere exploring each other, and pretty soon the rest of our clothing is on the floor.

I have no idea how we know what we are doing. Truth is we don't, but our bodies just seem to figure it out. I feel Peeta's hardness against my thigh, and it intrigues and intoxicates me. I push him until he's on his back. I want to see and feel him. I wrap my hand around him, which coaxes something between a growl and a groan out of Peeta and makes my whole body tingle. I want to hear it again. Without thinking - just following my heart and body and not letting my head get in the way, I bend down and take him in my mouth. "Oh, my god," I hear him say. His fingers tangle in my hair.

I continue for a few minutes until he reaches down to grip my shoulders and pull me off of him back towards his mouth. He kisses me, and we actually really speak to each for this first time since our intimacy began. "Was that okay?" I ask as I break our kiss…a bit confused as to why he stopped me. "God, yes," he says holding my face in his hands. "I'm just not ready for any of this to be over yet, and I was getting too close," he says a bit shyly. Ah, I connect the dots in my head. I was bringing him close to release. How exciting! But, I'm glad he stopped me so we can continue. I smile and kiss him again and again. His hands roam and pretty soon his fingers slip between my legs. I feel like I'm floating on air it feels so good. I sigh and moan and then suddenly, I feel like waves are crashing over me. Peeta has brought me to release. He can tell and slows his hand until my breath calms down. The good news is there is no reason to stop – no one to stop us.

We continue kissing. His lips find my neck, my collarbone, my breasts, and everything feels so impossibly good. He is on top of me, and I can feel him at my entrance. I raise my hips to meet his letting him know I'm ready if he is. "Are you really sure?" he whispers in my ear. I appreciate the question. Losing one's virginity is a major milestone and it's exactly like Peeta to double-check. I take his face in my hands and force him to look at me. "Absolutely," I say. We don't have any protection, but I don't care. I'll be dead soon anyways. I refuse to let that stop this moment.

He leans down and kisses me slowly then pulls back. We lock eyes as he gently pushes inside me. He is slow and gentle. There is a brief moment of aching that quickly subsides into an overwhelming feeling of fullness and pleasure. Peeta leans his forehead down on mine clearly needing a moment. He pulls back slightly again so he can look in my eyes. "I love you, Katniss," he says. I smile and raise up to capture his lips. As we kiss, he slowly begins to move. This closeness is something I never thought I could feel. I am so caught up in Peeta at this moment nothing else matters. Any anger or fear I have about the games is washed away by happiness.

Peeta breaks our kiss and nestles his head in the crook of my neck as he continues to push gently in and out. His hands cling tightly to my shoulders and mine to his. Within moments I feel the same swelling in my belly that I felt from his hand a short time ago and fall over the edge of bliss. He follows quickly with a grunt containing my name.

After he gently moves off of me and we lay side by side catching our breath. I come down off the high of the fire Peeta has ignited inside of me. "I have no words," says Peeta finally. I giggle. I actually giggle. I'm not sure I've ever giggled a day in my life. It's funny because Peeta always knows the right thing to say, so the idea he has no words is crazy. "How about wow?" I suggest. "Yeah, wow," he says back. "That will do it." We both laugh now holding each other close. Peeta strokes my hair, and I run my hand up and down his back.

"Can I ask you something?" he says softly. "Sure," I say back. "When did it change for you?" I know what he's referring too. When did my fake love become real? It's a fair question. "Well," I start. "I don't know that I exactly pinpoint the moment, and I want to make it clear that I always cared about you and always genuinely wanted to save you." "I know that," he says. I continue. "I guess with the tour and then back at home and now here, I've just gotten to know you even better, and I knew my feelings were changing. I just had to finally recognize what they were and admit them to myself. I can tell you that when I saw that painting you did tonight of Rue—any question I had of what I feel for you faded. I know now the feelings are love." It might be the most eloquent speech I've ever given without a notecard from Effie to help me out. He smiles at me. "I can't tell you what it means to me to hear you say that," he says. "I've noticed it has seemed different between us lately, better, but the lines have been so blurred, I just didn't know what that meant." 'Well, now you do," I say and lean up to kiss him.

"We should try to get some sleep," he says reluctantly when our lips finally part. I'm not sure that's possible, but I know he's right. "We should get dressed first," I say as much as I'm enjoying the feeling of our bodies so close together. "You know Portia will be bouncing in here without so much as a knock bright and early." Peeta smiles. "Good point." We both get up and get ourselves back together before climbing into bed again.

Peeta spoons me as we begin to finally drift off. It's strange to feel so light and happy knowing what tomorrow holds, but that's exactly how I feel. "Katniss," he says against my ear. "Hmm?" I answer. "Thank you," he says. "Thank you?" I say with a question. "Yes, thank you for allowing us to create a memory that will never fade no what happens in that arena." "You're welcome," I say and scoot back to him even closer. I am committed to Peeta being the one who wins, and if I've given him something to hang on to after I'm gone, I'm happy about that.

"I love you," he says. "I love you, too," I reply, and we settle into sleep. Tomorrow the horror will begin but tonight I feel only pure bliss.


End file.
